Embraer KC-390 Millennium

Disagree, aircraft waiting that long to be repaired isn't a great sign this early on in the program. We also have Embraer not meeting their own delivery commitments year on year.
If Embraer isn't starting work before receiving money, that's not Embraer's issue.

Now, if the repairs are waiting on parts, that is an Embraer issue.
 
Disagree, aircraft waiting that long to be repaired isn't a great sign this early on in the program. We also have Embraer not meeting their own delivery commitments year on year.
But why is there a long wait for repairs? Why are deliveries late?

Simple. Because the Brazilian Air Force has no money.

Just a few numbers:

- Original C-390 order (2018) was for 28 planes with last delivery end of 2026.
After at least 2 renegotiations, current order is for only 19(!) planes with last delivery in 2034(!!)

- Original Gripen order was for 36 planes with last delivery in 2024. Current plan is for the last planes to be delivered in 2032. Just by spreading deliveries (and payments) out, total program cost increased between 13 and 15%, equivalent to an additional 4 to 6 planes.

- Between 2014 and 2025 number of active FAB planes fell 40% , number of flight hours/year reduced 50%.

Embraer will not repair or build a plane if they are not being paid.
 
Hungarian reception process. Interesting that the aircraft is stated to replace their An-26 that have far lower performances (you would have though that a replacement for such would be more in the C-295 category*):

View: https://youtu.be/xyJKOwaaAnI

*If you hadn´t read Old Tomcat conclusions on its market share ;)
C-295 cabin is not tall enough for a heavily-loaded Canadian Search And Rescue Technician to stand upright. It would be miserable for a fully-loaded paratrooper (rucksack, rifle and snowshoes). Not being able to stand upright rapidly increases the number of spinal problems.
 
C-295 cabin is not tall enough for a heavily-loaded Canadian Search And Rescue Technician to stand upright. It would be miserable for a fully-loaded paratrooper (rucksack, rifle and snowshoes). Not being able to stand upright rapidly increases the number of spinal problems.
Fir some odd reason my back has just started aching.
 
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Firstly,
RIP to the Turkish service members who passed away.

more A400ms makes more logistical sense since Turkey already operates it
but the C390 is also a different class of plane too (a bit lighter, smaller, cheaper). Depends how they want to use it and perhaps the industrial offsets if any?
 
Again from my Farnborough adventures here are my photos of the first Czech C390, post show its gonna do a sales tour againa round Europe so they told me and then handed over to Czech air force.

Come the Monday Tuesday, it was parked up at Embraer chalet

Farnborough_2026_Czech_Embraer_C390_3.jpg

Then on Wednesday onward it was moved next to the Czech Air Force L159.

Farnborough_2026_Czech_Embraer_C390_1.jpg Farnborough_2026_Czech_Embraer_C390_2.jpg

cheers
 
another export customer, Greece
There are some hints that Turkey is also considering procuring either C-390s or additional A400Ms in the wake of that tragic C-130 incident and the subsequent grounding of the entire fleet...
This detailed analysis complemented by some excellent infographics couldn't have come at a better time. It's honestly well
worth a read...
View: https://x.com/DefenceTurkey/status/2082758623990571062?s=20
 
Colombia Orders Two KC-390s

LONDON—Colombia has joined the growing list of nations to refresh its airlift fleet with Embraer’s KC-390.

Bogota becomes the first export customer in Latin America for the twin-engine transport, buying two aircraft to meet the Colombia Aerospace Force’s (FAC) Heavy Tactical Military Transport requirement. Colombian officials say they secured a fixed price of $366.4 million for the two aircraft with the first to be delivered in 2029 and the second to arrive in 2030.

The contract also includes training, mission and ground support equipment and comprehensive logistics for two years, the air force said.

Colombia will equip the aircraft as tankers, and they will operate in conjunction with Colombia’s new fleet of Saab Gripen combat aircraft contracted last November. They will also perform disaster response, cargo transport and airdrop, troop and paradrop operations.
 
How big of a role is politics going to play when it comes to this competition ? I imagine India will be under heavy pressure from the U.S. to select the Hercules.
 
I guess this means the Il-276 with Russia is pretty much dead then. There was still some murmur of its revival with India in 2025.
 
How big of a role is politics going to play when it comes to this competition ? I imagine India will be under heavy pressure from the U.S. to select the Hercules.
India does already operate the C-130J so not like this will be a foreign system to them. It really comes down to what India really want from the platform, payload/range or a specific payload in mind such as the Zorawar in which case it is very clear which platform better suits. Is there also an opportunity to acquire additional A2A refuellers here that could refuel almost the entire fighter fleet?

I don't think political pressure will be that much of a factor, India can always fall back on requirements to justify why the C-390 may be selected over the C-130J.
 
They can select both also. There are aspects of their design philosophy that are not commune and would complete each others.
I wouldn't bet against a shared order.
 
I would think so too, it would be difficult to compare the C-130 and the C-390 as they are totally different aircraft powered by different engines. And I agree with you on that point TomcatVIP that they would compliment each other if bought together.
 
interesting, they went with a matte finish instead of the glossy grey they use on their Il-76 and other jets.
 
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